It’s been great to see my new book, The Good Garden: How One Family Went From Hunger to Having Enough, illustrated by Sylvie Daigneault (Kids Can, 2010), begin to inspire students and their families to think about how they can help the world achieve food security,
Picture Book Marathon from Jean Reagan and Lora Koehler. Sign up by Jan. 30. Peek: “Basically this is a Nanowrimo for picture books. After all, we don’t want those novel-writers to have all the fun, right? In a month, we’ll each create 26 picture books.” See also story starters and the marathon blog.
By Renée Watson
Stand up if you like to play outside with your friends.
Stand up if you’ve ever lost something.
Stand up if you’ve ever been to a funeral.
Stand up if you like to cook with your mom or dad.
Stand up if you have ever moved.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Renée Watson on Writing About Serious Topics in Children’s Books »
Denise Jaden is the first time author of Losing Faith (Simon Pulse, 2010). From the promotional copy:
A terrible secret. A terrible fate.
When Brie’s sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie’s world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked,
I’m thrilled to announce that Blessed is now available from Candlewick Press!
Check out the latest coverage:
Blessed: In Which I Interview Cynthia Leitich Smith by Joy Preble from Joy’s Novel Idea. Peek: “I’ve created a vampire society with its own history, political structure, and system of laws as well as,
Continue Reading Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith is Now Available »
Margie Gelbwasser is the first-time author of Inconvenient (Flux, 2010). From the promotional copy:
Welcome to Glenfair, New Jersey’s Little Moscow, where fifteen-year-old Alyssa Bondar lives with her Russian-born, Jewish parents. In their culture, drinking is as traditional as blinchiki and piroshki. So when her mom starts having bad days, it seems like Alyssa’s the only one who notices-or cares.
Continue Reading New Voice: Margie Gelbwasser on Inconvenient »
L.K. Madigan’s Feast of Awesome Giveaway by Cindy Pon from the 2009 Debutantes. Peek: “How can we best express our love and support for Lisa during this time? Through the celebration of her books. only a fellow writer can know the angst and turmoil associated with creating stories–because we put so much of ourselves in them.
Continue Reading Cynsational News & Blessed/Night School Giveaways »
Not all wishes come true. I’m never going to sing on pitch or get another go at being eighteen.
However, writing historical fiction brings me pretty close to traveling across time. As impossible wishes go, one for three’s not bad.
Actually, what I really enjoy is working a story from both ends—taking a contemporary story and going backward to find its roots,
By Frank Asch
I’ve always loved tabloids.
They caught my eye in the checkout line at the grocery store. There they were, right next to the chewing gum and chocolate bars.
Mind candy.
I was never addicted. But sometimes I would take one home to finish a particularly outrageous story.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Frank Asch on The Daily Comet: Boy Saves Earth from Giant Octopus! »
Michael Northrop is the first-time author of Gentlemen (Scholastic, 2009, 2010). From the promotional copy:
Micheal, Tommy, Mixer, and Bones aren’t just from the wrong side of the tracks—they’re from the wrong side of everything.
Except for Mr. Haberman, their remedial English teacher, no one at their high school takes them seriously.
